To be more specific, there are 390 million native speakers in 21 different countries where Spanish is the primary language. Some of these countries are major players in global economy. Countries like Argentina, Chile and Peru are important economic partners for the United States and active members of MERCOSUR—Mercado Común del Sur, the South American equivalent of NAFTA.

It’s estimated that 1 in 10 North American residents speak Spanish at home. The Hispanic population of the United States has grown 60% in the last decade. Spanish is also one of the official working languages of the United Nations, alongside English and French.

The Importance of Business Spanish

Spanish is an important global business language, and if you’re a global player then you’ve got to know it like a pro.

In fact, in the United States, bilinguals earn $7,000 more than monolingual speakers. With a mere 10% of the American population speaking a second language, it’s time you invested in your business Spanish!

Now that you’ve overcome those common intermediate mistakes and SNAFUs, you can consider yourself an advanced speaker. Or even if you’re not quite there yet, it never hurts to get an early start on this key component of the language.

Bienvenidos (Welcome) to the world of español para los negocios (business Spanish). It may not be the most exciting or zesty vocabulary to learn, but it is indeed the most práctico (practical) for professional advancement in the global market.

Business Spanish in the Digital Age

In Latin America and Spain, the digital age and email haven’t got as tight a grip as they do in North America. In many areas, face-to-face communication still tends to take precedence over digital communication.

As such, from a socio-cultural perspective, enchufismo, or the enchufe phenomenon, (i.e. pulling strings for friends and family to gain competitive advantage in obtaining jobs) is still quite rampant in the Spanish-speaking world despite all the negative press this practice has been getting lately.

Nowadays, English has surely become the global language of business, but let’s not underestimate the importance of foreign language acquisition.

Considering the importance of face-to-face communication in Hispanic culture, Spanish-speaking employers and businesses will be overjoyed when anglophones put the time and effort to conduct business in Spanish.

45 Key Business Spanish Vocabulary Words and 7 Quick Tips for Pros

Ahora (now) let’s take a look at 10 essential words used in español para los negocios. With this key vocabulary in mind, you’ll be using your business Spanish like a pro in no time! Get your flashcards out and let’s get started.

For number 1 and 2, don’t forget to switch to jefa and directora for a female boss or company director, as it’s quite common to see women as company bosses and directors in Spanish companies.

For number 3, the variant compañía can be used, for example una compañía aérea (airline) or unacompañía marítima (shipping/ferry company).

Lastly, for number 10, although oficina is acceptable and much easier to remember, despacho will be the variant used in Spain and some parts of Latin America. A trick to remember this word is thinking of the English word “dispatcher” and linking it to the idea of an office space.

The above list is by no means a comprehensive list, but the words will come up in all sorts of professional dealings. Write them down and asegúrate de saberlas muy bien (make sure to know these ones)!

Now that you have some basics covered, let’s quickly review some vital vocabulary related to work contracts. In Spanish-speaking countries, it isn’t uncommon that job listings won’t contain this information and that “contract details” will be discussed face-to-face during the interview.

These 5 key phrases will make sure you know what kind of business or work contract you’re agreeing to with an employer or business!

Now let’s get even more specific. Professionalism and business success, whether you’re hunting for jobs or dealing with clients, will require you to have keywords tailored to your industry.

The 3 key industries in which anglophone immigrants and workers take jobs in the Spanish-speaking world are: trade, language instruction and tourism.

At one point or another, as an English speaker living abroad, you’ll likely end up working in at least one, if not all, of these industries. So let’s review the 10 key words in each industry alongside vocabulary alternatives. After that, we’ll give you 5 tips to remember and use your new vocabulary like a pro. Pass over some more flashcards, please. Dale (hit it)!

In language instruction there’s, for obvious reasons, great linguistic variety. Depending on your location, there’ll be preference for one word over another. Not sure what the heck I’m talking about? Well, let’s explore.

For number 1, there’s also escuela de idioma, which is typically a school that receives state funding for language instruction, and academia,which refers to a private enterprise. A teacher can be called a maestro or, alternatively, a catedráticoat the university level.

Check out this short video to review and listen to pronunciation of key business vocabulary. Many of the words above will be covered.

Now you have 45 new words in your business Spanish repertoire. Great, right? The lists above are guides to key vocabulary in general business and the three main industries occupied by English speakers, but knowing the words is simply a start.

As this vocabulary doesn’t always come up in day-to-day conversations, you need to set time to use it on your own. Although apps and digital dictionaries are fantastic language tools, it’s best to avoid pulling out your phone in professional settings.

Keeping this in mind, it’s important to review and practice your business Spanish independently. Having Spanish slip-ups during a live interview or business dealing can be quite…vergonzoso (embarrassing) and unnerving. Below are 5 quick tips to ensure that you practice, properly pronounce and enrich your Business Spanish on a daily basis.

You’ll be a bilingual global player in no time!

7 Quick Tips To Practice Your Business Spanish Daily

1. Keep up on current events

Watch the news and listen to political and economic debates and speeches, especially by heads of state or economic ministers. You won’t understand everything but don’t let that put you off as your pronunciation and vocabulary acquisition will improve by leaps and bounds through news videos and debates.

Sign up for an online journal and read industry-related work reports and research. This is particularly helpful if you work in science, energy or technology sectors. For starters, check out the EBSCO database.

4. Focus on your industry

Read website content of companies working in your industry. You can start by reading the pages first in English and then in Spanish, or put them side-by-side and read them both simultaneously! Lucky for English speakers, most Spanish-speaking companies have their company information translated into English.

Do live mock interviews with Spanish-speaking friends to fill in fluency and vocabulary gaps. As you progress, jot down key phrases that fit with the way you express yourself to avoid sounding like a robot. If you don’t have any local Spanish-speaking friends, it’s time to find yourself a conversation partner, one of the most practical and fun methods to live language learning.

In the meantime, check out this video on 10 common interview questions and responses, and this one to see a live interview in Spanish.

6. Write up a short introductory email

In business it’s also very important to have an introductory email where you can sell a product or apply for a job. In both instances, it’s always a smart idea to send a succinct email along with your curriculum vitae (CV) and carta de presentación (cover letter) to potential employers and partners.

Below is a simple text that I’ve used many times in the body of my emails to employers. Save it, use it and adapt it to cubrir tus necesidades (to cover your specific needs).

I would like to apply for the (position) in your (company/institution name). I strongly believe I have the professional experience relevant to your company/job offer. Please find my CV and cover letter attached in PDF format. If you would like to contact me, you can reach me at (phone number) or send an email to (email address). I look forward to hearing from you.

Always use the usted (formal you) conjugation in work and business emails

Don’t you feel like applying for jobs now? Go for it!

I bid you farewell and buena suerte (good luck) in your negocios and búsqueda de empleo (business deals and job hunt). Hopefully this key vocabulary will give you confidence to ponerte las pilas (get yourself going) on your way to your next entrevista de trabajo (job interview).

Not only will you be a business pro, but you’ll be a bilingual one to boot!

Hasta la próxima, amigos! (Until next time, friends)!

And One More Thing…

If you like learning practical, memorable and authentic Spanish lessons like these, then you’ll love FluentU.

FluentU takes real-world videos like music videos, commercials, news, and inspiring talks and turns them into Spanish learning experiences.

Other sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the Spanish language and culture over time. You’ll learn Spanish as it’s actually spoken by real people.

But apart from this, FluentU has a wide variety of videos, covering topics like soccer, TV shows, history, movies and even magical realism, as you can see here:

FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive transcripts. You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don’t know, you can add it to a vocab list.

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU’s Learn Mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you’re on.

The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning, and it recommends you examples and videos based on the words you’ve already learned. Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they’re learning the same video.

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